Type Coercion
Type coercion is a programming concept where a value of one data type is automatically or implicitly converted to another data type by the language runtime or compiler. This occurs in dynamically typed languages like JavaScript, Python, or PHP, often during operations involving mixed types, such as adding a string and a number. It helps simplify code but can lead to unexpected behavior if not understood properly.
Developers should learn type coercion to write robust code in dynamically typed languages, as it prevents errors and ensures predictable outcomes in operations like comparisons, arithmetic, or string concatenation. It is essential when working with user input, API data, or legacy systems where data types might be inconsistent, such as converting strings to numbers in JavaScript for calculations.